The “long settle” and “scrowled chair” were two other kinds of seats in use from the time of Charles I. to that of James II.  The illustrations are taken from authenticated specimens in the collection of Mr. Dalton, of Scarborough.  They are most probably of Yorkshire manufacture, about the middle of the seventeenth century.  The ornament in the panel of the back of the chair is inlaid work box or ash stained to a greenish black to represent green ebony, with a few small pieces of rich red wood then in great favour; and, says Mr. G. T. Robinson, to whose article mentioned above we are indebted for the description, “probably brought by some buccaneer from the West.”  Mr. Robinson mentions another chair of the Stuart period, which formed a table, and subsequently became the property of Theodore Hook, who carefully preserved its pedigree.  It was purchased by its late owner, Mr. Godwin, editor of “The Builder.”  A woodcut of this chair is on p. 106.

Another chair which played an important part in history is the one in which Charles I. sat during his trial; this was exhibited in the Stuart Exhibition in London in 1889.  The illustration is taken from a print in “The Illustrated London News” of the time.

[Illustration:  Chair Used by King Charles I. During His Trial.]

In addition to the chairs of oak, carved, inlaid, and plain, which were in some cases rendered more comfortable by having cushions tied to the backs and seats, the upholstered chair, which we have seen had been brought from Venice in the early part of the reign of James I., now came into general use.  Few appear to have survived, but there are still to be seen in pictures of the period a chair represented as covered with crimson velvet, studded with brass nails, the seat trimmed with fringe, similar to that at Knole, illustrated on p. 100.

There is in the Historical Portrait Gallery in Bethnal Green Museum, a painting by an unknown artist, but dated 1642, of Sir William Lenthall, who was Speaker of the House of Commons, on the memorable occasion when, on the 4th of January in that year, Charles I. entered the House to demand the surrender of the five members.  The chair on which Sir William is seated answers this description, and is very similar to the one used by Charles I. (illustrated on p. 107.)

[Illustration:  Carved Oak Chair.  Said to have been used by Cromwell. (The original in the possession of T. Knollys Parr, Esq.)]

[Illustration:  Carved Oak Chair, Jacobean Style. (The original in the Author’s possession.)]

Inlaid work, which had been crude and rough in the time of Elizabeth, became more in fashion as means increased of decorating both the furniture and the woodwork panelling of the rooms of the Stuart period.  Mahogany had been discovered by Raleigh as early as 1595, but did not come into general use until the middle of the eighteenth century.

The importation of scarce foreign woods in small quantities gave an impetus to this description of work, which in the marqueterie of Italy, France, Holland, Germany, and Spain, had already made great progress.